Six locals All-CIF

Newport Harbor High senior Joel Walker and Sage Hill School senior

Julian Smith-Newman, both first-team picks, lead six Newport-Mesa

players chosen All-CIF Southern Section in their respective divisions

by section coaches.

Walker scored 35 goals to lead the Sailors to an appearance in the

quarterfinals of the CIF Division II playoffs, where they lost, 1-0,

in sudden-death overtime to eventual champion Thousand Oaks. Walker,

a forward who scored six goals in the playoffs, helped guide Newport

Harbor to a 17-6 record and a share of the Sea View League title with

Woodbridge and Foothill.

Smith-Newman, a team captain for Sage Hill, which shared the

Academy League title with St. Margaret’s, was named first-team

All-CIF Division VI. He helped lead the Lightning to an 11-7 record

and a No. 4 playoff seeding.

In CIF Division II, Newport senior Will Guzman and Corona del Mar

senior Jeritt Thayer received second-team recognition, while seniors

Matt Tracy (Newport Harbor) and Julien Cerutti (Corona del Mar) were

third-team honorees.

Guzman, a team captain, was a midfielder for the Sailors, while

Thayer also played the midfield and was known as the catalyst for the

Sea Kings’ run to the CIF semifinals.

Tracy, a forward who will play for Cal State Northridge, proved to

be another scoring threat for Newport Harbor.

Cerutti, who was named the Pacific Coast League MVP, softened

defenses with his deft ball-handling skills, helping lead the Sea

Kings to a 15-4-6 record and PCL championship. He will continue his

career at UC Davis.